There is a real danger that Syria is becoming a battlefield for Islamist militant groups and will result in another Iraq where more than a million Christians have been uprooted and distinct ethno-religious groups are still combating each other.

Speaking for the Aramean Christians of Syria, the Syriac Universal Alliance requests the combating parties to lay down their weapons. This battle can only be resolved through diplomacy and a focus on peaceful resolution to the conflict. The SUA asks the international community to support this diplomatic path by halting radical fighters from crossing the border and fight their own war in Syria.

International governments must halt the supply of weapons into Syria. More weapons is not the answer for either party. If we truly believe in a peaceful solution for the benefit of the Syrian population, there can be no pre-conditions to dialogue. From the perspective of the Syrian Aramean Christians, we demand true dialogue between the warring factions. The Christians of Syria want peace and they want real representation at the table when real dialogue commences.

Regarding the COI report the Syriac Universal Alliance asks:

Is the commission aware and if yes, to what extent there is systematic and planned violence from radical armed groups against the Christian minorities in Syria? We have evidence about an increasing amount of targeted violence against Christians in the form of kidnapping murder and other such terror since the beginning of the conflict;

Why is there such a lack of information in the commission’s report regarding violations of human rights of the Christian ethnic groups like the Arameans? ; and

How great is the immediate and future danger that Christians will be oppressed and forced to leave Syria by radical Islamic forces who have entered the country?

The war in Syria is a violation of human and moral standards and the daily loss of lives is a shame for each party involved. The Christian minorities and the vast majority of the Syrian people never wanted and still do not want a civil war.

We call upon the representatives of all nations gathered in this assembly to do their utmost to help end the vicious circle of violence in Syria and stop the destruction of the country, the cultures and the people.

Thank you, Mr. President!Basil OezkayaDelegate to the UN Office in Geneva World Council of Arameans (Syriacs),Formerly “Syriac Universal Alliance”